Chapter 107: Cutting It Personally

If you rely on your own uncles and brothers, you naturally can't be compared with the strong men at the pier.

Lao Yang's idea was wrong from the start.

The best approach now is still piece‑rate: the more you work, the more you earn; the less you work, the less you earn.

If you cheat and shirk, there'll be nothing to earn.

For a low‑cost imitation business like pots, everyone's early enthusiasm must be heightened, seizing as much market as possible, and never using the traditional wait‑for‑customers sales method.

Chen Wuji presented his ideas to Yang Tiejiang in a relatively systematic way.

Yang Tiejiang was silent for a long while after listening.

Chen Wuji still thought he had a different opinion, or perhaps hadn't understood.

After a while, he suddenly murmured, "Brother Chen, compared with you I'm truly old; I've been pondering these tricks on my own, and I fear even if I rack my brain I can't work them out."

"I've been forging iron in the East Market all my life; I stick to one principle: as long as my goods are good, that's enough. Hearing you say that today, I finally understand why my goods are good yet I can only run such a tiny blacksmith shop and can't become a large workshop; indeed my ideas have problems."

"The goods being good is just the most basic, essential thing."

Chen Wuji nodded, "Don't say that. Your reputation is crucial to our upcoming business! It's not wrong, just not lively enough."

A good reputation is the people's trust, and that's vital.

And Lao Yang does this exceptionally well.

All the people around the East Market, whenever they mention a blacksmith, immediately think of Lao Yang.

Yang Tiejiang waved his hand, "Me? That's all I've got. Every day I'm scolded by the folk for looking fierce, and on top of that my temper is foul."

Chen Wuji laughed heartily; that point is indeed undeniable.

He really is fierce and has a bad temper.

At this moment, Yuan Jinshi arrived with Chen Bushi and others.

"Wuji, why did you hurriedly summon us? You'd better give me a reasonable and proper reason, otherwise I won't agree without a jar of wine."

Chen Wuji looked at Chen Bushi calmly, "I caught a bear cub yesterday and just sold it. Guess how much I got for it? I realized, you old fellow really shortchanged me badly."

"Even if it was a dead weight, it's only a couple of taels, how could there be more?" Chen Bushi was unruffled, "Selling something to your dear San Shu, you can't give me nothing, right? Shouldn't I get a few hundred wen?"

"Come, let's have a proper chat!" Chen Wuji hooked Chen Bushi's arm and led him aside.

"That bear cub sold for eighteen taels; count how much you shortchanged me, and you still say it's only a few hundred wen. Is that really just a few hundred wen? We have both witness and evidence today; when will you make up the money?"

Chen Bushi's eyes widened in shock, "Impossible. How could a bear cub fetch such a price? Are you trying to fool me again? Bear hide could be worth that, but a bear cub certainly cannot."

"I'm not lying; the Presented Scholar was also present when I sold it. If you don't believe, I can even take you to that shop and have the shopkeeper verify it," Chen Wuji said.

Chen Bushi was flustered, "Impossible. Could the market for bear cubs have changed in this period? No, I need to ask later; if it really has changed, this would be a big deal, call the young strongmen of the clan, we could venture into the deep mountains, maybe this year everyone can have a good year."

"Stop the nonsense, when will you make up the price difference?" Chen Wuji pressed Chen Bushi's neck.

"The deal was sealed days ago; there's no reason to make up the difference now." Chen Bushi shoved Chen Wuji away, "You kid, quickly tell us why you called us here; the laborers and capitalists are still busy. Do you know I'm the Village Chief now?"

Chen Wuji rolled his eyes, "Yes, Chen the Village Chief!"

He put aside his joking and said to Chen Bushi, "I need a few people; whose family in the clan is a bit short on money, you know clearly, arrange them for me."

"What for?" Chen Bushi asked.

"Selling pots!" Chen Wuji said, "Each pot sold is set at fifty wen; trade‑in for a new one is thirty wen, and we need five people."

"I'll ask Chen Qun and Chen Wuwei later; if they're willing, plus Licentiate Yuan, we're still short two, help me find them."

"Count me in!" Chen Bushi laughed.

Chen Wuji glanced, but did not respond.

"Will you be short those three melons and two dates?"

Most people's outward poverty is truly poverty.

But some people, though they look as poor as if they can't lift a pot, who knows how much silver they have buried underground.

"First ask those two; the missing manpower, I'll find for you," Chen Bushi said seriously.

"Also, let me add, you kid have never done business, be cautious. Even the simplest trade is deeper than it looks; don't pour a lot of money in before you earn any."

"I know you've saved a bit lately, but that little silver is nothing compared to doing business."

Chen Wuji nodded in agreement, "I understand, I'll be more cautious."

"Hmm."

After the two settled, Chen Wuji asked Chen Wuwei and the other two about their intentions.

Licentiate Yuan naturally had no objections; now he and his elder brother consider themselves servants of the Chen Family, even changing their surname, so they naturally follow Chen Wuji's plan.

Chen Wuwei and Chen Qun also just listened to the specifics and agreed.

Originally Chen Qun had come to Chen Wuji's house to work as a helper, planning to idle for a month.

This morning he went ahead of Licentiate Yuan, chopping firewood, fetching water, sweeping the courtyard, and even paving the doorway area with stones.

He just saw that Chen Wuji already had arrangements, so he didn't bring up his desire to help.

"Since none of you have objections, each of you carry two black pots, and we'll go sweep the streets!" Chen Wuji said.

Four kids, ranging from fourteen down to eleven, each shouldered two black pots.

Even though Chen Bushi complained about being busy, he didn't leave and shuffled along, following.

He was very curious about what Chen Wuji intended to do,

Chen Wuji first set his sights on the fen cha shops in the East Market that sell cooked food.

In the Dayu Dynasty, slightly larger teahouses and taverns that sell cooked food are called fen cha.

The difference between these shops and small ones is simply size.

Roughly equivalent to the later distinction between fly‑eater eateries and large restaurants.

The signage also has its own nuances.

Smaller shops are usually named something‑baozi, meat‑pie, etc., specifying the type of food they sell.

And these Fencha shops usually take a name like 'something Fencha', or 'something tea house', or 'tavern'.

For example, this first place that Chen Wuji has his eye on.

It is called Li Si Fencha.

It has three floors, mainly serving cooked food, selling tea and wine.

"Fearless, come in with me first; you all wait outside for a moment." Chen Wuji ordered, "We'll hit the streets, actively seek buyers; first we must note one thing, we must not make people dislike us."

"If people see you and dislike you, unless your goods are truly eye-catching, otherwise even if you talk until you're hoarse, they won't do business with you."

This is his first lesson.

Respecting customers is also the first step in business.